Toto Wolff: Formula 1's 2017 rules revolution would be a big risk

While Wolff is not against alterations to the regulations in a bid to improve the show, he feels F1 is trying to go too far, too fast with the planned changes.

Meetings of the Strategy Group and F1 Commission in Geneva on Tuesday will determine the fate of the rules for 2017 after nine months of deliberation since last May's announcement of plans for cars to be five to six seconds per lap quicker.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has made clear he is against a halfway-house compromise of the cars being only two to three seconds faster.

Wolff's concern is for Pirelli, and the prospect of it having to produce tyres that must withstand an unreasonable increase in load.

"We are not against the rule change. F1 needs to be exciting," said Wolff.

"To change the cars to a more exciting way of looking, generating more downforce, with wider tyres and wider track, is something we are very excited for, and we are certainly up for the challenge.

"But what we mustn't forget is the overall package. Our opinion is holding on for 50 per cent more downforce can be detrimental for Formula 1. It can be difficult for the tyre manufacturer to cope with.

"It's like saying to an engine manufacturer 'Please deliver 2000 horsepower'. The answer is not feasible. So do we want to ask Pirelli for something not feasible?

"We have also worked on the current rules for a long time. Should we criticise them and say they are not good enough because one team is dominant?

"But the truth is, overtaking is pretty good. Now, is it because of DRS or other factors? I don't know.

"But we wouldn't want to throw all that away because we want to roll the dice, and rolling the dice means putting the downforce on and then hoping there's good overtaking."

As Wolff concedes, with such divergent opinions the outcomes of the meetings are "unknown".

Within the Strategy Group it is likely FIA president Jean Todt, F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone and at least Horner will join forces in support of a full-on 2017 rules revolution and force the vote through to the F1 Commission.

Beyond that, it is up in the air, although Autosport understands the regulations revolution is likely to be placed on hold until 2018 to allow further discussions to take place over the next 12 months.

Though a major change for 2017 is not Mercedes' preference, Wolff said such an outcome "is not a disaster for us".

He added: "There is quite a challenging side to making it happen. The question is: when do you start to work on these rules?

"It's definitely a challenge we would be keen on taking on.

"It's not our preferred version, but the good situation is we would be OK with most of the proposals."